Car rented from Chittagong, ideally from Chandgao, Halishahar Road in Agrabad, Reazuddin Bazar or Azimir Super Market at Monim Road, would take anyone to Bandarban. Though it is possible to rent a car at Dhaka to go all the way to Bandarban, it is not advisable in any way. Plainland drivers are generally lousy in the hills and they don't know the locality at all. It would be prudent to hire a driver who comes from Bandarban.

===By boat===

===By boat===

Revision as of 18:22, 24 September 2007

Landscape with River Sangu

Bandarban Hill District is the remotest and least populated district in Bangladesh. The lure of the tallest peaks of Bangladesh, treks through virgin forests and chance to meet more than 15 tribes of the region up close is growing both among Bangladeshis and tourists from other countries. Since the insurgency ceased in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (a cluster that includes all three hill districts of Bangladesh) it has opened up for tourists more than a decade back, though some of the western tourist guides may still describe the area as a major security risk.

Regions

Map of Bandarban

Bandarban, a 4,479 km² wide area with a population of 292,900 (2003 est.) inside Bangladesh is bordered by Cox's Bazaar, Chittagong, Rangamati and Khagrachari. On the other side of the 129 kilometer international border lies Myanmar provinces of Chin and Arakan.

Bandarban has only one town that approaches anything near a city - the Bandraban town. The rest of the area is divided into 7 upazilas, which are in turn divided into varying numbers of unions. Each union is a cluster of paras and villages.

Other destinations

Apart from Bandarban town and surroundings, Ruma Bazaar and Alikadam are two other destinations that can be reached by fair means, i.e. by motor-driven vehicles and are highly worth visiting.

Understand

River Sangu

It is governed by a Hill Council under the Bangladesh government, headed by the King of Mong Circle. The current monarch, His Highness King Aung Shue Prue Chowdhury, is the 15th to sit on the throne. The front hall (Raj Durbar) of the Royal Palace is open to visitors, provided that appropriate behavior is maintained. Interestingly the 13th Royal Family claims the current Family to be usurpers to the throne.

Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and Chramma are major religions along with many pagan faiths.

Major road routes are Chimbuk-Ruma, Bandarban-Rowangchhari-Ruma, Aziznagar-Gojalia-Lama, Khanhat-Dhopachhari-Bandarban, Bandarban-Chimbuk-Thanchi-Alikadam-Baishari-Dhundhum, and Chimbuk-Tangkabati-Baro Aoulia. The best place for information are the Press Club (phone: +880 (0) 361 62549), the Tribal Cultural Institute (phone: +880 (0) 361 62424), the office of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, the government owned tourism company and the office of Guide Tours, the largest privately owned tourism company, at Hill Side Resort.

Landscape

Bandarban landscape

The three highest peak of Bangladesh - Tahjindong (1280 meters, also known as bijoy), Mowdok Mual (1052 meters), and Keokradong (883 metres) - are located in Bandarban district, as well as Raikhiang Lake, the highest lake in Bangladesh. Chimbuk peak and Boga Lake are two more highly noted features of the district. Though most Bangladesh sources cite Keokradong as the highest peak in the country, but Tazing Dong (sometimes spelled as Tahjingdong, and also known as Bijoy) lying further east is recognized both by government and expert sources as a taller peak. Measurements taken by English adventurer Ginge Fullen shows that an officially unnamed peak near the Myanmar border (locally known as Mowdok Mual) is the highest point in Bangladesh.

The following is a list of mountain ranges in the area and the tallest peaks of each range:

Muranja (also known as Meranja) range (Basitaung, 664m)

Wayla range (most of this range is in Myanmar)

Chimbook range (Tindu, 898m)

Batimain range (Batitaung, 526m)

Politai range (Keokradang, 884m; Ramiu Taung 921m)

Saichal-Mowdok range (Bilaisari, 669m; Mowdok Mual 1,003m)

Saichal range (Waibung 808m; Rang Tlang, 958m; Mowdok Tlang, 905m)

Wailatong and Tambang ranges

The River Sangu (also known as Sangpo or Shankha), the only river born inside Bangladesh territory, runs through Bandarban. The other rivers in the district are Matamuhuri and Bakkhali. Parts of Kaptai Lake, the biggest lake in, Bangladesh fall under the area.

History

Bandraban has been a kingdom of the Mru people since early fourteenth century, until came under Marma rule that followed the Mughal invasion of Chittagong under Emperor Aurangzeb in mid seventeenth century, though the Mughal could never defeat the Mru. During the raids of the Portuguese Armada and the heyday of the Arakanese kingdom Marmas and Rakhaines moved into the area in large numbers. In the mid eighteenth century Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal invaded the area, but it remained mostly independent through decline of Mughal power.

During the British Raj, it was declared as the Bohmong circle with limited autonomy. The Mizokaba or the Mizo uprise in the mid 19th century was major catalyst for re-settlemet of the tribes in the area. During World War II the area saw the presence of a formidable British military presence that came to stand against a Japanese invasion. The tribes of these hills held the reputation of unyielding rebellion throughout history. When India]], Pakistan and Mynamar went independent from the Raj, the leaders of the tribes people decided unsuccessfully to become a part of Mynamar, then known as Burma. During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 to gain independence from Pakistan, the leaders again sought unsuccessfully to remain a part of Pakistan.

In the late 1970s, a policy of forced settlement of Bengalis into hills was pursued, which later gave rise to much violence against the hill people and the insurgency led by Shanti Bahini, the military wing of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti. There have been an attempt to create divide among tribal cultural lines between the Chakmas, who led Shantibanhini, and the Mrus, by creating an anti-Shantibanhini militia out of them. Now, after the peace treaty, Bandarban stands as a locally governed ethnic region together with the two other hill districts. Representation of numerous tribes of the district in the Hill Council now stands as a thorn of dispute here.

People

There are more than fifteen ethnic minorities living in the district besides the Bengalis, including: the Marma and Rakhine, who are closely related and are also know as Magh, Mru (also known as Mro or Murong), Bawm, Khyang, Tripuri (also known as Tipra or Tipperah), Mizo (also known as Lushei), Khumi, Chak, Kuki, Chakma and Tenchungya, who are closely related, Reang (also known as Riyang), Uchoi (also known as Usui) and Pankho.

The Mru, also known as Murong, who are famous for their music and dance. The Mru in major numbers have converted to Khrama (or Crama), the youngest religion in Bangladesh that prohibits much of their old ways. They are assumed to be the original inhabitants of Bandarban. The Bawm are another major tribe here. Now converted almost totally to Christianity they have taken full advantage of the church to become the most educated people in the district. The Marma are of Myanmar by origin and Buddhists by religion, and are the second largest tribe in the hill districts of Bangladesh. They are closely related to the Rakhain, as both of the people came from the same stock in Aarakan. The Khumi live in the remotest parts of the district, and the group is thought to include yet unexplored/ unclassified tribes.

These ethnic groups are again divided in hundreds of clans and sects, principally dominated by four religious threads - Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and a number of pagan faiths. All these clans and groups are clustered into two major ethnic families, namely the hill people and the valley people. Since the Kaptai dam flooded the valley creating to Kaptai lake, the valley people have started to live on hill tops along the hill people.

Bengali settlers, coming in with the forced settlements in 1979, and Rohingya settlers, coming in across the Myanmar border since the junta came to power in Yangon in 1992, now has become two major ethnic groups outside minorities. But, there are a number of Bengali families who claim to have settled earlier than some of the tribes.

Flora and fauna

Climate

Holidays

Raj Punnyah: It is ceremonial rite of paying tribute and taxes (khazna) to the king of Bohmang circle, happening in mid February since 1885. The three day festival at the royal palace features the king meeting his subjects in full regalia, accompanied by a ceremonial guard, and receiving tributes.

Maghi Purnima

Sangrai

Talk

Get in

There are three ways to get to Bandarban. The easiest is a direct bus ride from Dhaka which takes 6 hours. The two services available are Dolphin at Kalabagan and S Alam at Kamalapur. On the high tourist season it is advisable to buy tickets in advance.

There are a few services available that offer a bus ride from Chittagong which takes 2 hours (the most available is Purbani at Bahaddarhaat). To reach Chittagong from Dhaka there are three options - taking a flight (Bangladesh Biman or GMG airline), a bus ride (Sohag is undoubtedly the best service, available at Kalabagan and Mahakhali) or a train ride from Kamalapur (Turna Nishitha).

From Cox's Bazar, it is a 3-hour busride (the most available is Purbani at Laaldighi). To reach Cox's Bazaar from Dhaka it is possible take either a 10-hour bus ride (Sohag is the best) or a flight (Bangladesh Biman or GMG airlines). From Chittagong it is 4-hour bus ride (apart from Dolphin, Purbani is the most available).

It is possible to get to Bandarban directly from Rangamati by way of Chandraghona, but the perilous route is not advisable at all.

By car

Car rented from Chittagong, ideally from Chandgao, Halishahar Road in Agrabad, Reazuddin Bazar or Azimir Super Market at Monim Road, would take anyone to Bandarban. Though it is possible to rent a car at Dhaka to go all the way to Bandarban, it is not advisable in any way. Plainland drivers are generally lousy in the hills and they don't know the locality at all. It would be prudent to hire a driver who comes from Bandarban.

By boat

It is possible to get to Bandarban from Rangmati by the Kaptai Lake and River Sangu. But, despite the breathtaking beauty of the surroundings, it is highly inadvisable for all but the die-hard adventurer.

Get around

Inside the town, which can be easily covered on feet, the most available mode of transport in the rickshaw. For places out of town there are three-wheeler taxis near the Traffic Mor (circle or intersection), four-wheel drive vehicles for hire near Hotel Green Hill, and a rent-a-car station near Hotel Hill Bird. There also are the regular public transit system of ancient four-wheel-drive vehicles, known locally as Chander Gari (meaning the Moon Car) available Ruma and Rowangchhari Bus Stations, as well as near the Sonali Bank. It is also possible to travel by native boats by the river Sangu, from either the Bazaar Ghat or the Kyaw Ching Ghat.

See

Buddha Dhatu Jadi. The largest Buddhist temple in Bangladesh, located in Balaghata, 4 km from the town, is one excellent place to visit. This Theravada Buddhist temple is made completely in the style of South-East Asia and houses the second largest statue of Buddha in Bangladesh.

Shoilo Propat, Meghla and Nilachal. The waterfall named Shoilo Propat at Milanchari, 4 km from the town on the road to Thanchi, is also excellent site maintained by Bangladesh Parjatan, the national tourism promotion corporation. The site maintained by the Distrcit Administraion is Meghla, 4 km from the town on the road to Keranihat, which features a mini-safari-park, a zoo, and a hanging bridge. The District Administration has also developed the Nilachal tourist site near Meghla, in Tigerpara

Raj Vihar and Ujanipara Vihar.The numerous Buddhist temples, known as kyang in local toungue, and vihars in the town include the highly notable the Rajvihar (royal Monastery) at Jadipara. The monastery at Ujanipara, known as Ujanipara Vihar, is also a major place of interest.

Chimbuk Hill and Tribal Villages. Chimbuk is one of the tallest peaks in Bangladesh and lies some 14 km from the town. Bawm villages around Chimbuk and Mru villages a little further off are also lie within a day's journey from the town.

Other Places. Prantik Lake, Jibannagar and Kyachlong Lake are some more places of interest.

Itineraries

Do

Cruise on River Sangu. One highly admired activity here is a boat trip in a sampan (a double oared boat with a blunt aft and a flat bottom) or a regular boat down the River Sangu. The trip can vary from a 1-hour trip, including a stop-over to take tea, to a whole day cruise including stop-overs to have food.

Take a Guided Tour. The only available regular guided tour package, offered by Guide Tours, takes tourists through Buddha Dhatu Jadi, Meghla, Shoilo Propat, Raj Vihar and Ujanipara Vihar, two tribal villages, Chimbuk Hill and a couple of more sites. An irregular guided tour package by Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation takes tourisst to Nilachal and Meghla, the artificially created government owned "tourist attractions" generally shunned by serious travelers.

Hiking

A hike to either Keokaradong (883 m) or Tahjindong (1003 m), the two tallest peak is an exhilarating experience. On the side of both the peaks reside the remotest tribes-people of Bangladesh - the Khumi and the Kuki. Boga Lake, one of the two highest lakes in Bangladesh lie directly on the trek, while the other one, the Raikhiang Lake lies only a little off the way.

Buy

Tribal Handloom

There is an abundance of Brumese, Thai and Chinese trinkets, textile and other stuff in the town. But, the best buy is definitely the products of local handloom - cloth fabric, shawls, blankets and more - as well as products of bamboo, cane and wood - buskets, flutes, hats and more. Prices are amazingly low, and textile qualities are amazingly high. The designs are refreshingly exotic and extremely geometric. Only the textile from Myanmar (called Burma here) have floral or fire patterns, and are made by machine looms.

Markets

Master Shopping Complex and Burmese Market: Full of Thai, Chinese & Burmese products. This market is always busy with throngs of buyers, sellers and onlookers. Marma shopkeepers, mostly women, are easy to deal with with, and ma provide with information on the place and the people.

Bonolota Textile and Rangamati Textile: These shops at the Traffic Mor sells handloom products from Rangamati, another area of the Hill Tratcs, here. Since the Chakma people are very different from the Marma, Bawm and Mru people of Bandarban, the products may bring a fresh break.

The BSCIC Shop: Various handloom and cottage products. It is the sales center for the cottage industry development project of Bangladesh government.

Shoilo Propat: Shawls, blankets and buskets made by the Bawm people are sold by them by the side of the waterfall.

Farukpara: Flutes, hats, pitchers and other stuff made by the Bawm people are sold in little shop crammed full with exotic and wonderful products. Bargaining while sipping on a cup of tea is a wonderful activity here.

Marmabazaar: All the local food and textile products, as well as wet grocery vendors selling fresh hill produces. Look for Nappi, a local delicacy, to take home here. But, don't forget to pack it tight when carrying. This market bustles with activity in the earl morning, with tribes-people coming down the hills to sell vegetables of every color, as well as roots, tubers, fruits, berries and nuts.

Costs

Dress

Both the Bandarban Bazaar and the Marma Bazaar sell, hawk and peddle an incredible number of floral-patterned Burmese cloths that are used to make dresses in Marma style. A thicket of tailoring shops line the streets of both markets to cater to buyers of these cloths. It is a fun activity for women to buy cloth and take it to a tailoring shop. Custom fit Thami (sarong) and Angi (Blouse) are tailored in a day.

Eat

This guide uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink:

Budget

Under $1

Mid-range

$1-3

Splurge

Over $3

Budget

There are good restaurants in Bandarban Bazaar where local cuisine can be sampled, which is mostly too hot for unaccustomed palates.

Mid-range

Splurge

Chinese or Continental food, though available and expensive by local standards, is of poor quality here. Check with Ree Song Song in the town or Holiday Inn at Megla.

Local delicacies

The local tribespeople consider almost everything that walks, flies or swims as food, so with a little luck it is possible to sample dog meat, and even dried snakes or deer meat (both are protected species in Bangladesh). Nappi, a semi-dried fish-paste with powerful flavor, is one of the top delicacies. Most of the hotels in Bandarban do not have any restaurant attached.

Self Catering

Drink

Though there are no designated bars or pubs, alcoholic drinks are widely available due to the culture of the tribes-people. A local rice wine called Arraa is a potent drink. It is often flavored with stone-apples, pineapples and elachi. It is best drunk with coconut juice. Ching Rey is a beer made from the first brew of Arraa. Tea is a fairly common drink in the daytime, and available at plentiful hot tea shops. Tea here is well-cooked and served with thin milk and salt instead of sugar.

Sleep

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:

Budget

Under $2

Mid-range

$2-5

Splurge

Over $5

Budget

In Bandarban Town itself there are numerous inexpensive hotels, all of which are at Bandarban Bazaar, the market district of the town. The most prominent are:

Prue Abashika, Near the ''pouroshabha'' (municipality) at Bandrban Bazaar., ☎+880 (0) 361 62257. checkout: 12PM. Maintained by the Royal Family, preferred by the tribes-people.Tk 50-100.

Jamal Boarding, Between the pouroshabha (municipality) and the Press Club., ☎+880 (0) 361 62431. checkout: 12PM. Mostly preferred by mainstream Bengali Muslims who come for business or work here.Tk 50-100.

Bilkis Hotel, At the traffic ''Mor'' junction., ☎+880 (0) 361 62061. checkout: Negotiable. Very cheap, with a fine view of River Sangu.Tk 30-80.

Hotel Nurani, near the Ruma Bus Station is another place for budget accommodations. Though less popular, it provides a good access to transports and comes at about the same costs as Bilkis Hotel

Mid-range

Hotel Royal, At Marmabazaar., ☎+880 (0) 361 62431. checkout: 12PM. Newly made, and supposedly the best in the category. Flanked by a the only "Chinese" restaurant in town.Tk 150-350.

Hotel Hill Bird, Bandarban Bazaar., ☎+880 (0) 361 62431. checkout: 12PM. The oldest in the category, with a rent-a-car station at hand.Tk 150-350.

Hotel Green Hill, In the Press Club building at traffic ''Mor'' junction., ☎+880 (0) 361 62574. checkout: 12PM. Maintained by the Press Club. Strategically located at town center, on top of the Press Club, and has a magnificent view of river Sangu.Tk 150-350.

Hotel Authiti, Marmabazaar., ☎+880 (0) 361 62535. checkout: 12PM. Maintained by the Press Club. Strategically located at town center, on top of the Press Club, and has a magnificent view of river Sangu.Tk 120-300.

With a little luck, it is also possible to stay at one of the numerous government rest houses, especially in dull seasons. The most notable is the District Circuit House, followed by Hill Top Rest House, maintained by the District Administration, and the Forest Department rest House. Department of Roads and Highways have two rest houses of fair standards - one near Chimbuk, the other near the circuit house. But, these can not be booked in advance, unless the traveler is on government business or a government guest or employee.

Splurge

Hill Side Resort, Milonchari., ☎+880 (0) 361 ?????. checkout: 12PM. Maintained by the Guide Tours. The best place to stay in Bandarban on top of Shoilo Propat. Maintained by Guide Tours this resort has a majestic view of Sangu River and features a cottage layout.Tk 500-1200.

Holiday Inn, Near Meghla., ☎+880 (0) 361 ?????. checkout: 12PM. Maintained by District Administration. Not to be confused with the famous hotel chain.Tk 500-1200.

Camping

Contact

Cell-phone
Though Bandarban officially does not have a cell-phone network, it is possible to have some network coverage inside an approximately 5 m² area near the pond in Ujanipara. The Farukpara area near Chimbuk has even better cell-phone reception.

361 is the area code for Bandarban.

The telecom watchdog, Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC), has permitted Rankstel and QC Telecom, two privately owned phone companies, to provide telular (Fixed Wireless Transceiver based phones) services in Bandarban, which is about the equal to connections provided by Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB), the government owned monopoly on fixed-line telephone service, and are far more available.

There are a couple of cybercafes that offer internet services. But, since they are not connected to the information superhighway via submarine cables, the connections are pretty slow, often dipping below 0.4kb. These usually remain open from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Postal codes for Bandarban are - 4600 (Bandarban Sadar), 4630 (Thanchi), 4641 (Lama), 4660 (Nikhongchhari), 4650 (Alikadam), 4610 (Rowangchhari), and 4620 (Ruma). The surface mail is notoriously slow and undependable. There also is a possibility of mail from foreign nationals getting opened and checked by civil or military authorities.

Stay safe

As malaria is a major health threat in the region, malaria prophylaxis is highly advisable.

Stay Healthy

Drinking water often comes from hillside streams. Therefore, insist upon water from tube wells, or carry your own supply of water bottles or water purification tablets.